


Trust isn't built over tea, but maybe it starts with coffee

by Cinder7storm4



Series: Theodosia Barba Drabbles [3]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Barba has a daughter, Barisi - Freeform, Coffee, Dad Barba, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Gen, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Talking, Talking About Things, Tea, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-04-04 12:07:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14019903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinder7storm4/pseuds/Cinder7storm4
Summary: Theo and Sonny talk over tea.Raf understands that trust isn't easy to build.





	Trust isn't built over tea, but maybe it starts with coffee

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Law and Order: SVU

Rafael couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned anxiously. Sonny was pulling some overtime, and his conversation with Theo earlier hadn’t done his whirring mind any favours. After once again glancing at the clock to see that only five minutes had passed since he’d last checked it at midnight, Raf huffed and pulled himself out of bed. 

He opened his bedroom door, intending to shuffle into the kitchen to make some coffee when the sound of a key clicked in the lock on the front door. 

Sonny slipped through the door and closed it quietly behind him. After placing his shoes next to Theo’s and hanging his coat up he went to navigate the dark apartment. Raf was about to go greet him when the clink of a cup on the counter caught Sonny’s attention. He made his way over to the kitchen and flicked a light on, almost literally spotlighting Theo as she paused in making her tea. 

Raf padded over to the kitchen, intent on making sure that Theo didn’t chew Sonny out for telling him about the hospital. He paused right before the entrance to the kitchen itself though, because Theo was speaking. 

“Hey Sonny.” Although Raf couldn’t see his daughter he could imagine her rolling her shoulders in an attempt to release the tension in her body and how her eyes would shift constantly, never really meeting his partner’s eyes. 

“Morning Theo,” replied Sonny, his tone relaxed and open. 

“Want some tea?” 

“Sure.”

A cupboard door opened and another soft clink on the counter implied Theo had grabbed another mug for the detective. 

“Everything okay, Theo?” Sonny asked after a minute or two of silence had passed, broken only by the light bubbling of the water on the stove. 

“Yeah, it’s…” she trailed off, with a huff that was both broken and dismissive.

“It’s…?” Sonny prompted.

“Tiff told me I couldn’t tell people I was fine anymore,” Theo replied.

“So you aren’t fine?”

“No, I’m not supposed to tell people I’m fine. Something about how it’s a weasel word. Makes it easier to lie about things,” Theo drummed her nails on the counter for a moment, “Sorry, you don’t need this. Yeah, I’m okay.”

“That was convincing,” replied Sonny, still in a calm voice.

“Thank you,” Theo said out of the blue, as the kettle boiled.

“What for?”

“For caring enough to tell him.”

Raf could hear Theo making the tea, the clink of a spoon, and the ripping of a tea bag reaching his ears.

“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about it beforehand,” Sonny offered, taking the cup when Theo offered it to him but not drinking it just yet. 

“Why?”

“It’s personal information,” was all Sonny would offer, as Theo bustled around making her own tea.

“I suppose, but again, I said thank you, which should imply I don’t really mind.”

“Don’t you?”

A moment passed, while Theo drank from her mug. 

“I mind that it hurts him. I mind that I did that,” she took another drink, gazing into her mug like it held the answers to questions that haunted her, “I mind that I’m not the daughter he needs,” she whispered, speaking a bit louder she said, “I don’t mind that you love him. I don’t mind that you want to protect him.”

The kitchen was quiet, but then a clink sounded as a cup was placed back on the counter, “Theo,” Sonny’s voice was soft, a touch unsure, but committed nonetheless, “Theo, you’re his wo…”

“World, yeah, I heard that tonight,” the pain in Theo’s voice was like an icicle to Raf’s heart, “I don’t know what to do with that idea. Holidays were fine. I always knew there was an end, but here I just keep waiting…”

Something clicked in Raf’s mind then, prompting him to step into the kitchen then, “That’s why you haven’t unpacked yet.”

Theo outwardly seemed unconcerned by his appearance, but internally, she was chastising herself of indulging in late night emotional chats with the person her papa loved. Sonny looked a bit confused, and unsure about how to proceed, but Raf placed a reassuring hand on his arm giving the detective a chance to stay or leave. 

Sonny stayed. Raf was his and with Raf came Theo, which made the young woman looking at them with Raf’s green eyes someone he felt responsible for and protective of. 

“So, what from earlier confused you?” Raf asked, his tone teetering between nervous and confident.

“Nothing,” murmured Theo.

“But you don’t trust it,” Raf nodded, sagging a bit as he leaned against the counter between Sonny and Theo he nodded, “That makes sense.”

Theo’s right eyebrow cocked, but she didn’t speak.

“I don’t expect you to trust me after five hours. Hell, I don’t expect you to trust me,” Sonny took his hand and at that Raf smiled gratefully at his partner, “or us,” he amended, “for awhile Theo. But, I hope you will try. Please.”

Theo’s fingers laced around her mug went white as she tightened her grip on her mug, “Why?” 

Surprisingly, it was Sonny who spoke first, “Because, you’re important,” he squeezed Raf’s hand, “The first time I knew I loved your papa was the first time he told me about you.”

“Because I love you and I need to prove it to you,” Raf added.

Theo didn’t comment on their remarks, but instead turned to the cupboard and took down her papa’s Harvard mug. She then turned the kettle back on to boil, “At least drink decaf,” she murmured as she left the kitchen, mug still clutched in her hands.

“Well?” Raf asked Sonny, as he turned toward the detective for a comforting hug.

“You’re a good man, Rafa. You’re a good dad. It’ll get better.”

As Sonny continued to murmured soothing words to Raf felt the tightness around his heart ease a bit. He would make sure it would get better. He would be a good dad. He just had to be.


End file.
